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Elite Athlete Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Canada Running Series

Jun 06 2023
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Announcing the Elite Field for the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

Women’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
F1 Rachel Hannah Toronto  ON
F3 Salome Nyirarukundo Toronto ON
F7 Erin Mawhinney Hamilton ON
F9 Asia Dwyer Toronto ON
F10 Kathleen  Lawrence Toronto ON
F11 Tori Bouck London ON
F12 Andrea Hill Ottawa ON
F13 Lauren King Toronto ON
F14 Laurel Buchanan Toronto ON
F15 Livia  Coburn Toronto ON
F16 Ana Laura Fray New Tecumseth ON
F17 Jay Smith Edmonton AB

Men’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
1 Tristan Woodfine Cobden ON
2 Rob Kanko Dundas ON
3 Dylan Alick Mississauga ON
4 Sergio Raez Villanueva Mississauga ON
5 Reid Coolsaet Hamilton ON 
7 Eric  Bang Toronto ON
8 Caleb Beland Sudbury  ON
9 Mitch  de Lange Thornton ON
10 Jean-Rene Caron Montreal QC
11 Mathieu  Moor Hamilton ON
14 Fernando  Medina Mossley ON
15 Cameron  Cira  Toronto  ON
16 Joshua McGillivray Toronto ON
20 Baghdad Rachem Verdun  QC
22 Timothy Fowler Toronto ON
23 Michael Logue Aurora ON
24 Shinsuke Adachi North York ON
26 Bernie Hogan Bancroft ON
27 Brian Byrne London ON
28 Jason  Skillicorn  Toronto  ON
29 Brent Poulsen Orillia ON
Sep 19 2022
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Malindi Elmore Breaks Course Record at Tenth Editon of the Under Armour Eastside 10K

By | Eastside 10k | No Comments

The tenth edition of the Under Armour Eastside 10K, organized by Canada Running Series (CRS), took place today, returning to in-person racing for the first time since 2019. Defending champion and course record holder, Malindi Elmore, broke her own course record in 32:37, while Ben Preisner tied the men’s course record of 29:20, which was set in 2014. 

“It was an incredible feeling to bring this race back to the city after a two-year hiatus,” said Ryan Chilibeck, Race Director at Canada Running Series. “The goal of the UA Eastside 10K is and has always been to celebrate Vancouver’s local running community and the neighbourhoods we run through. This race operates in tremendous support of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community, and we’re proud to have hit a new fundraising record for our four incredible charity partners.” 

2,042 participants took part in the in-person race, with another 213 registered for the virtual 10K or virtual 1K Kids Run. Unique among the city’s many races, the UA Eastside 10K takes racers through the heart of East Vancouver, from the city’s Gastown neighbourhood and through Strathcona on this out-and-back course. 

From early on, defending champion and women’s course record holder, Malindi Elmore, lead the race before breaking her previous course record of 32:42, which had been set in 2019. Vancouver’s Leslie Sexton was close behind, crossing the finish line in 34:11, followed by the Vancouver Half Marathon winner Samantha Jory in 34:58.  

“I felt really good off the line,” said Elmore, who maintained a steady lead throughout the race. “I ran a PB so that’s always awesome.” Referring to her training as she builds for her upcoming marathon, she noted, “I’ve done nothing this fast, but on the day, the strength is there.” 

The elite men had a tight race, with Olympians Ben Preisner and Trevor Hofbauer pushing each other throughout much of the course. In the end, Preisner broke ahead to take gold. Hofbauer placed second in 29:26 and Thomas Broatch finished in third place in 30:00.   

“It’s always a great run locally here in Vancouver, so I’m very grateful for all the organizers who put it together for us,” said Preisner, who admitted he wasn’t confident about securing the win. “Trevor is a very good competitor and he was always on my shoulder. It was a good incentive to keep pushing hard. I don’t think there was ever a place where I was super comfortable.” 

Malindi, Sexton, and Hofbauer will be building off the momentum from their strong finishes today as they prepare for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 16, 2022.  

The 2022 Under Armour Eastside 10K has raised over $31,860 to date, surpassing the event’s previous fundraising record of $30,022, which was set in 2015. Dedicated to supported Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community, this race has partnered with four local charities: CLICK – Contributing to Lives of Inner City Kids, Urban Native Youth Association, Downtown Women’s Eastside Centre, and PHS Community Services Society. With a focus on creating sustainable events, Canada Running Series has also partnered with two environmentally focused charities, Trees for Life and Trans Canada Trail. The deadline to donate to the official charity partners is September 30, 2022.  

Men’s Winners:

  1. Ben Preisner – 29:20
  2. Trevor Hofbauer – 29:26
  3. Thomas Broatch – 30:00
  4. Luc Bruchet – 30:16
  5. Josh Kozelj – 31:13

Women’s Winners:

  1. Malindi Elmore – 32:37
  2. Leslie Sexton – 34:11
  3. Sam Jory – 34:58
  4. Andrea Lee – 35:59
  5. Ally Ginther – 36:12

For more information about the Under Armour Eastside 10K, please visit the website: eastside10k.ca.  To download a PDF of the press release, please find it HERE. 

Jun 18 2019
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The 2019 lululemon Edmonton 10K Elite Field

By | Edmonton 10k, Elite Athletes | No Comments

If you are planning to cheer on the runners at the lululemon Edmonton 10k race on July 7th, here are some of the names and bib numbers to watch out for!

In the men’s race, Reid Coolsaet will be back to defend his title against a very intriguing field. Favourites to knock Coolsaet from the winners circle will be Evan Esselink (the 2018 runner-up at the Edmonton 10K), Cameron Levins (current Canadian Marathon Champion & Record Holder), Rob Watson (lululemon Global Run Ambassador), Chris Balestini (recent runner-up at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon), Bonsa Gonfa (runner up at the lululemon Toronto 10K) and Leonard Chesoo (ACAC Male Rookie of the Year).

For the women, watch out for Natasha Wodak to add to her recent Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon, Canadian 10K and 10,000m Championship wins from this year, Jess O’Connell (2016 Canadian Olympian from Calgary & Canadian 3000m record holder), Rosie Edwards (who runs out of Colorado) & Gladys Tarus (3rd place at the lululemon Toronto 10K). With some pretty tough competition coming from local Alberta runners and runners from across the country, it will be a race to watch!

Bib #First NameLast NameCityProv/State
1ReidCoolsaetHamiltonON
2CameronLevinsPortlandOR
3EvanEsselinkVancouverBC
5ChrisBalestriniLondonON
7RobWatsonVancouverBC
8LeonardChesooEdmontonAB
9AngusRawlingCalgaryAB
10KevinCoffeyVancouverBC
17GonfaBonsaTorontoON
11TrevorMacLeanEdmontonAB
18MatthewHopeRed DeerAB
12MichaelStewartEdmontonAB
13RichardReidEdmontonAB
14RileyStuermerSt. AlbertAB
15BrianYorkeEdmontonAB
16BrianTorranceEdmontonAB
Bib #First NameLast NameCityProv/State
F2NatashaWodakNorth VancouverBC
F17JessicaO'ConnellCalgaryAB
F3RosieEdwardsBoulderCO
F16GladysTarusTorontoON
F4MorganLawleyEdmontonAB
F5LisaStewartEdmontonAB
F6AleciaKallosEdmontonAB
F7TaylorCarlinEdmontonAB
F8KimberleyDoerksenVancouverBC
F9MadeleineCummingsEdmontonAB
F10VanessaTrofimenkoffEdmontonAB
F12ChristyLovigKelownaBC
F13ShariBoyleCalgaryAB
F15KathrynDurellEdmontonAB
Mar 27 2017
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Balancing Life & Training

By | Elite Athletes | No Comments
by Rachel Cliff (@Dangerous_Cliff)

Many people struggle to perfect a healthy balance between work and life; this can become even more challenging when you add an athletic goal to the mixture. Five years ago I decided to push for the impossible: to qualify for the Olympic games. With a personal best over 50 seconds off the standard I knew this was a serious long shot, and if I was going to pursue it, it was critical that I keep my professional development in mind as well.

Since then, I have moved to being an elite Canadian runner while completing my MSc in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene and have been working as a research assistant since October 2016. This journey hasn’t been easy, and there have been times when my running may have suffered from inadequate sleep and academic stress, and other times when my academics may have fallen behind (i.e. taking a bit longer to complete my thesis). Through trial and error I have learned to balance having both athletic and career goals and to be thankful to have both avenues in my life. Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way:

Find a flexible employer and earn their trust: It’s best to find a manager who not only supports your athletic goals but offers some flexibility in scheduling and, ideally, is more focused on deliverables than whether you are sitting at your desk from 9-5pm (within reason). Runs and workouts often need to be completed during these hours, especially in the winter months so having someone who’s okay with you taking a longer lunch break to do your run, arrive a bit later or leave early is very helpful. All that said, flexibility of hours does not mean flexibility of deadlines, and it’s critical to demonstrate that you can complete assignments when asked. If your job is shift work by nature then try to be flexible in when you exercise and not sweat the small stuff: such as running or biking to work or wearing reflective safety gear and finding a safe running route for after dark are all options. Transparency is always key. There should be open communication about your goals and the needs of your employer.

Be organized: My most productive weeks happen when I plan in advance. On Sunday I’ll sit down and write out how to fit training goals around my work schedule and vice-versa. First, identify critical meetings and workouts that need to occur at certain times and then secondly write out all other weekly goals and put the puzzle together. Once your schedule is made it can be helpful to re-visit this to-do list before going to bed each night. Use your weekends to cook and prepare breakfasts, salads and snacks for the upcoming week.

Focus on quality: While it’s typically okay to brainstorm work ideas on your easy runs, there are times when one task requires absolute focus. Ideally, I aim find 15 minutes to unwind before a workout and go over the training goals. If there’s no time for this I try to use my warm-up to focus and avoid talking or thinking about anything other than running. The more focused you can be for your workout, the better quality it will be. Execute a similar strategy at work; limit procrastination and aim to produce high quality work as efficiently as possible.

Prioritize goals: If you’re at a critical stage of your career, your athletics may have to go on the back burner for a bit. Alternatively, if there’s a once in a life-time race or goal on your radar, you may need to decrease the hours you work. Adjust your goals accordingly and be aware that one may need to take priority over the other. For example, I did not work last summer while I was chasing my Olympic dream, but when I started up at my new job this fall I only ran once a day while I got used to a 37.5hr work week. I try to think of it as crop rotation.

Take care of yourself: No matter how big your goals are, your sleep, nutrition and mental health should always come first. Aim to eat good food, and get enough sleep so that you’re not wrecked at the end of the week (8-10 hours depending on the person). Also, take a few nights off to see your friends, watch a movie or do something else that makes you happy. Extreme stress is manageable for only a short amount of time, and just like over-training, prevention is the best policy when it comes to burn out (trust me, I’ve done it!!). Pay close attention to the symptoms of burnout and remember, there’s only 24 hours in a day and you’re only human.

Whether your fitness goal is to complete your first half marathon, or qualify for a Canadian national team, I feel these tips can apply to everyone looking to balance their career with any athletic goal. I realize not all jobs allow for flexibility in your work schedule, so keep your athletic goals in check with how much time you can realistically devote to them. The most important part is to have fun and be inspired by your running goals.

Aug 22 2016
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Pan Am medalist Rachel Hannah Chasing Fast Time in Toronto

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments
August 22nd, 2016 – By Paul Gains

As Canadian record holder Lanni Marchant realized her dream of competing in the Rio Olympic marathon and 10,000m, a number of up and coming Canadian distance runners have drawn inspiration from her mighty achievements and are poised to step onto the world stage.

Chief among them is 29 year old Pan Am Games bronze medalist Rachel Hannah who, it must be said, has hardly begun to tap her potential. So, when the resident of Guelph, Ontario lines up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this coming October 16 big things can be expected.

Hannah made a cautious marathon debut at the 2015 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon where she turned heads with a 2:33:30 clocking, the fourth fastest time of the year by a Canadian.

Rachel Hannah Pan Am

Pan Am Games Marathon, 2015

It also allowed her the option of representing the country in either the World Championships or Pan Am Games. She chose Pan Ams so she could run in front of friends and family and, similarly, this is a motivating factor in racing Toronto Waterfront. It helped too that the event is also the 2016 Canadian Marathon Championship.

“I know Toronto Waterfront is going to be custom setup for my needs,” she says of the IAAF Gold Label race.  “(Race Director) Alan (Brookes) takes such good care of us.  That was the main deciding factor.

“And just the strength of the hometown crowd. I was thinking about this when I experienced this during the Pan Am Games. It was incredible, it helps pull you along when it gets really tough and that was evident during the hills and the humidity. I am excited just to be back running Toronto in similar areas and hopeful the energy will pull me along and I will run a PB.”

In January she ran the Houston Marathon finishing in a new PB of 2:32:09 a time that puts her at the top of the Canadian rankings for 2016.

At that race she had kept the Olympic qualifying standard (2:29:50) in the back of her mind and when, at the half way point,  the pace was slipping, she compensated mentally by breaking the race up into components and not thinking negative thoughts. It is this mindset she hopes to bring to Toronto.

“I do think that because I am pretty new to (marathoning) – I have been doing it only a year and half now – I do think there is a lot in the tank,” Hannah declares. “I can go faster.  I just have to be really consistent and keep a positive mindset.  There so much to the marathon that is all in your head. You know your body can do it if you put in the training and have been consistent. I think sometimes the training is harder than doing it on the day.”

The qualifying period for the 2017 IAAF World Championships opened this past January and she clearly has ambitions to wear a Canadian singlet again on the world stage.

“I’d love to do (the London World Championships),” she declares. “That’s definitely in the back of mind going into Toronto Waterfront, try to run a really quick time and be in the qualifying window.  I’m not sure what the time standard will be but I hope I can get to run in London. That will be a fantastic experience to go and be able to compete.”

Hannah graduated from Georgia State University in 2009. It is there she studied nutrition. Up until December of last year she was working full time at MedCan as a dietician, but with the cooperation of her employer has now reduced the number of hours to roughly 16-20 per week, reflecting her growing athletics requirements.

Recently she moved in with her long-time boyfriend Dave Korell, who is also her coach, and so is splitting time between her mother’s place in the Flemingdon Park area of North Toronto, which is close to her work, and their home in Guelph. With more time available for training and recovery, she and Korell have been able to compose a program that incorporates some changes. Presently she trains with local runners Cameron Bush, Darren Lee, Eric Bang and Rejean Chiasson.

“We are looking at a twelve week buildup,” she explains. “I am going to do a longer tempo in my long runs.  So far I have got up to 50 minutes at goal marathon pace during my long runs. This time around I am going to try and go for over an hour. That is one factor that will change. There will more long runs in general. My body is used to getting up to those distances.

“I am going to practice more with (water) tables. Dave will probably set up tables with bottles so I can become more efficient grabbing bottles because I think I lose a few seconds here and there at each station. And, now that I am working part time I can sleep more so that’s another thing I am going to incorporate. It’s so important for recovery!”

Hannah continues to learn from each marathon and is not averse to taking advice from those with more experience. In Ottawa last year she sat down with 2016 Olympian, Krista DuChene, who is also a nutritionist, and asked her questions about fuelling and the marathon in general.

“We were sitting down going over some tips the night before,” Hannah reveals. “I remember her telling me, and this really stuck with me,  ‘make sure you are fuelling properly knowing that you are going to feel a little heavy going into it but you are going to be thankful when you get to 35k and have energy reserves.’”

Earlier this summer Hannah won the Canadian 10,000m championship in Guelph, easily beating Canadian Olympian and national record holder, Natasha Wodak, in the process. Winning the Canadian marathon title in Toronto would be a great addition to her medal collection but one thing is even more important: a new personal best.

If the conditions are right she can be expected to tap that potential and follow the path blazed by Lanni Marchant, and toward London 2017.

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Mar 16 2016
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Rob Watson on “The Blowout Race”

By | Digital Champions, Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments
March 16, 2016 – Vancouver

Everyone participates in events their own reasons, and sometimes those reasons different depending upon what you want to get out of each event. Rob Watson (@robbiedxc) is off to the World Half Marathon Championships next week, but is also racing the Modo 8k this weekend. Why race 8k when you’re running a World Championship event the following weekend? Let’s let Rob explain:

I spend a lot of time running, and when I am not running I spend a lot of time thinking about running. Over the years I have developed some theories on this sport. Most are weird and don’t make sense, but every so often I think that I may be on to something. I have this theory about the power of the “Blowout Race” and why they are both awesome and necessary. So if you will, please lend me a few minutes to let me try to explain this to you. Ladies, Gents and everyone else. From the deepest corners of a runners mind. I present to you – The Blowout Race.

The Canada Running Series Modo 8k is just days away. I’m excited to get out there and give it a go in one of the better races that this city has to offer. The course is nice, the competition is solid and the vibe is always awesome. I wish I could say that I am coming in peaked, rested and ready to roll, but that is not the case. That is ok though, it’s all part of the master plan.
You see, not every race has to be a PB, you don’t have to have the blades sharpened and be rearing to go every time you toe the line. Sometimes you can run a race for reasons other than your time or place. I am running Modo as a “blowout race” before I head over to Cardiff Wales for the World Half Marathon Championships on March 26th.

What is a blowout race? Simply put it is a race where you swallow your pride, throw caution to the wind and just give it hell. The goal is to make yourself hurt and ride the redline for as long as possible.

Why am I doing this? Well I have to admit, this idea comes through personal experience of trial and error. There is no science to support my reasoning, just years on the roads and a whole lot of races in the legs. The basic idea is to teach the body to get used to that racing burn and manage pain.

Here is my theory. You can work away as hard as you want in practice, but no matter how hard you push, you can never truly run yourself ragged (at least I have trouble reaching that point). But in races, something clicks and I find that I can push myself just that much more. It is that feeling of absolute fatigue that I am aiming for come Sunday.

Again, Why? Well this is the part that I have a hard time explaining. I find that my body reacts well to that all out effort. When you force yourself to just dig that much deeper and grind that much harder something clicks. The body wakes up and kinda says “ok, so I guess I should get used to this” and then your suffer management score bumps up a notch or two- because when it comes right down to it, racing is all about managing discomfort and dealing with fatigue.

I find that after a race in which I blow it out I get a nice bump in my fitness and my training improves. Things that were challenging a week or so earlier are just that much easier. You may say “yeah, well obviously, that’s just how training works.” To that I say shut it, it’s more than that.

I put my blowout race theory to practice earlier this year when I ran the Pioneer 8km one week before the Houston Half Marathon- it worked like a charm. I went into that 8km with a plan to simply go for it. I felt great through 5km then spent 3km hurting pretty good. It was miserable-I was tired, achy and simply spent at the finish. Mission accomplished. The next week in Houston my body was ready for the race pain and I came through 8km faster than the weekend before and feeling just fine.

Anyways, so the Modo 8km is going to be my blowout race before the World Half Champs. I am going to get out there and just give it hell. Like I said before. the course is great, the competition is solid and vibes will be solid.

I reckon you should try the blowout sometime. It may sound unreasonable, but I promise that it is a real thing!

See ya Sunday!

-rob-

Whether you’re looking for a blowout race before another big Spring event, running your first 8k, or just running for an excuse to have some beers at the post-race concert – we look forward to seeing you at this weekend’s Modo 8k. If you forgot to sign up, we added a few extra spots so grab one while you still can!

Mar 10 2016
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Rob Watson Tuning Up For Modo Spring Run Off 8k by Paul Gains

By | Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments

TORONTO. March 10th 2016. Rob Watson has always been known as a free spirit, someone who accepts whatever results he achieves on the roads and on the track.

Mostly those results have been impressive.

Twice he has represented Canada at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships running the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2009 Berlin championships and the marathon in Moscow in 2013. A year ago he was crowned Canadian Marathon Champion.

ROB BLOG 2Now he is counting on achieving the Olympic qualifying standard at the Virgin London Marathon.  At the age of 32 he knows his time amongst the upper echelon is limited.

“It’s my last chance to qualify for the Olympics,” he admits. “I haven’t really planned my running career past London. If I do well in London and, I am fortunate enough to qualify for the Olympics then, obviously, I will aim towards that. I don’t know where I will go with it. It’s London or bust pretty much.

“The London marathon is April 24 and that is what all the training is aiming toward. That will be my last shot at getting an Olympic qualifier so we are putting all our eggs in one basket.”

Together with his coach/brother Pete Watson he has mapped out his path to the Olympics which includes the Modo Spring Run Off 8k on Sunday March 20th. Training is, by his own admission, proceeding as he had hoped.

“It’s going quite well, quite well,” he reveals. “I am pretty fit. I qualified for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff, Wales (March 26th) so all systems are go. The Modo 8k is kind of like a ‘blow out the carbon’ race. I like to always get a shorter faster one in before the actual (championship) race.”

Watson grew up in London, Ontario then attended Colorado State University on an athletics scholarship.  For several years he trained with the Speed River Track Club in Guelph, Ontario before selling many of his belongings and moving out west to Vancouver. He is currently living in the Kitsilano Beach area with his girlfriend, Genevieve.

“I am right down in West Kits near Jericho Beach,” he explains. “It’s about a half kilometre run to Jericho Beach. When they hold the Canadian Cross Country Championships here, it’s at Jericho Beach.

“It’s a great location. Dylan Wykes lives about two hundred metres away, Luc Bruchet is around the corner. Chris Winter is right up the street. There is a good group of us runners down here in this neighbourhood.”

Watson was pleased to learn that Music Heals is the featured charity in this year’s Modo 8k, being a huge music lover himself. In fact, the Executive Director, Chris Brandt, will be among those who toe the starting line but with slightly different expectations. Brandt says he is delighted the charity will again benefit from the association with Canada Running Series.

“Most of the music charities in Canada focus on music education,” he declares. “We are one of only two that I know of that focus exclusively on music therapy.

MUSIC HEALS“Music Heals raises money and awareness for music therapy in Canada.  We are based in Vancouver and we fund programs across the country that provide music therapy for everything from kids to palliative, seniors, autism, dementia, burn units, AIDS and HIV, bereavement rehabilitation and a whole bunch more.”

On March 5th seventy two bars across the country participated in a fundraiser whereby they donated $1 from each cover charge collected to Music Heals. Brandt points out that, in its three year existence, the charity has signed cheques in support of various music therapy programs to the tune of $500,000.

Watson himself attends as many concerts as he can fit in. A big fan of musicians like Chuck Ragan, Hothouse Music, Bad Religion and the Canadian band Propagandhi he is also one of the few elite runners who actually listens to music on some of his training runs.

“Sometimes, when I am going for an easy run I will tell my girlfriend ‘I am going to listen to music for a while’ then strap that on and go for a jog down the beach,” Watson reveals.

“Generally when I train it’s faster, louder stuff. I am a huge fan of the early 90’s skate punk scene. Loud and fast when I am training. When I am home it’s a little more low key. Anything with a guitar, you can’t go wrong.”

Genevieve doesn’t necessarily share his music tastes.

“I took her to one of the Progagandhi shows,” he says with a laugh. “She didn’t know what was going on. There is a good mosh pit and people kind of dance around and go a little crazy. I try to behave now that I am a little bit older. I don’t want to get injured. I try to behave; sometimes it doesn’t work.”

Watson expects the Modo 8k field will be a strong one and he will have a fight for the victory even if he hasn’t studied the competition.

“I know that (Trevor) Hofbauer is coming so I think he will be one of the stronger runners,” he says. “I don’t know who else is coming.

“It’s a good race. If it’s a nice day I would like to get out there and run under 24 (minutes) for sure. ‘23 mid’ would be a nice. I am just going to go out there and blow the doors off and run as hard as I can.”

The field got a lot stronger with the addition of 2012 Canadian Olympian Dylan Wykes who confirmed his entry late Wednesday. He has been battling some injuries lately. Canadian international Terrence Attema is also confirmed.  Meanwhile, Dayna Pidhoresky, the 2011 overall Canada Running Series champion, leads the women’s field.

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For More information and to register:

https://canadarunningseries.com/spring8k/